RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2022 - Part 3

Part 3 - Show Week - The Feel Good Florist’s first flower show!

A month on from this amazing event I’ve really had the chance to reflect on this experience. What I have I valued more than anything else has firstly been the opportunity to really play with my favourite medium and create something that had never been made before. It was wonderful to get that problem solving part of my brain whirring, strengthening that ‘thinking out of the box’ muscle.

Secondly the opportunity to meet other growers, gardeners, florists, enthusiasts and artists. Everyone had a cause within their designs such as; wellbeing, bio diversity, climate change, self sufficiency, supporting natural habitats and wild life, community, therapeutic horticulture and simply the joy of nature!

A few talented people I got to meet were Jason Williams @cloudgardeneruk and his ‘The Petiit Nuage Garden’ which highlighted the uninspiring choices often made by urban developers for borders and raised beds. That these green spaces were really an opportunity being missed. That changes to these areas could be utilised to support resident’s well being and the surrounding biodiversity by creating ‘Wildlife corridors allowing wildlife to move through out the city’.

Queenie Chan @quinquinquin ‘W-E Boarder’ Garden celebrating the value of diversity and inclusivity in the UK with the ‘W ‘standing for ‘west’ and the ‘E’ standing for ‘East’ and the value of community. This was her debut RHS show after leaving fashion to pursue horticulture and was a bee’s dream!

Kenny Raybould @princeofplants ‘Dreams of the Mother Tree’ Exhibit giving a beautiful and artistic installation of forest bathing. With his exhibit, garden and live talk all showing his passion for making greener choices and gardening within the community with @grown_that_way. Not only this but I was lucky enough to be the exhibit next to Kenny which was wonderful as we both were highlighting the importance of Mother Trees and the role they play within our forests.

What struck me as a similar experience to art exhibitions is you need to lean closer to learn the why? that from a distance you can appreciate the beauty, the skill and hard work but when I got to either talk with or read the excerpts about what these floral designs or gardens represented it often linked to a very personal reason, to a passion and a deep love of nature.

Within the tent there was always a lively buzz of chatter and enthusiasm for the live demonstrations. From how to make wedding bouquets using gorgeous locally grown flowers, to vase arrangements and even my own demo’s on how to make a dried flower crown which could double up as a floral hat band! It certainly was a bit nerve wracking being all miked up backstage, but after a warm introduction from Dennis Van Wonderen the nerves quickly shifted.

The main highlights for me were the building days, even in the tropical 40 degree heat. It was a fantastic experience getting to see my drawing and imaginings come to life. Also getting to show this to my 3 year old daughter who had watched me fiddling around weeks beforehand with willow in my studio.

It was truly a unique experience getting to put a piece of my passion out into the world and hopefully shining a light on the intelligence and vital role of mother trees.

Special thanks to Leah Lawry-Johns for all your wonderful help ♡

Check out some of the incredible talent in the tent! @jacquioflorals @orchisfloraldesign @princeofplants @grownthatway @gingerfloraldesign @campbellsflowers @plantologyflowers @northernflower1 @juliepearsonfloraldesigner
and the fabulous creator of the RHS letters @northandflower
and of course thank you to @the_rhs